Barral (Sporting Gijon): "We have our chances"

Speaking to Madrid sports tabloid Marca, Sporting Gijón forward David Barral commented on tonight's league game against Barcelona:

"Looking at what happened to Barcelona in their first game against Numancia last season, we have some hope to meet them a bit unfocused after the super cup games. We have our chances. They are little, but we have them."

Contract renewal Messi to be closed this week

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that a deal on the contract renewal of Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22) is close.

The basic elements of the deal would already have been agreed upon and the final deal could be closed this week, although the signature will only be put next month after the paper work has been completed.

Messi would earn in the future a year salary of 10 million euros net plus incentives for trophies won by the team and possibly also for individual trophies. The players buyout clause would be doubled to 300 million euros, while the contract duration - until 2014 - wouldn't change.

Read more:
Messi renewal negotiations to start next month
Maradona: "Messi makes quicker progress than I"
Renewals for Puyol, Marquez, Iniesta and Messi

Ajax interested in Henrique loan

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona is looking for a club for Barcelona central defender Henrique Adriano Buss (22).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola reportedly thinks the Brazilian player doesn't have the qualities needed to play at Barcelona.

The club would therefore have started looking for an exit for Henrique, on loan or permanently. Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam would have shown interest in the centre-back, who played last season on loan with German club Bayer Leverkusen, and would want to sign the player on loan.

Read more:
Henrique still hopes to convince Guardiola
Vertonghen unaware of Barcelona interest
Zaragoza interested in Henrique loan

Medical: Messi will not play super cup game

Barcelona's medical staff has announced that Barcelona player Lionel Messi (22) is doubtful for the first leg of the Spanish super cup against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

New tests today have indicated that the player has suffered an overburdening of an adductor and one of the quadriceps muscles at the front of his left thigh. Messi will now undergo treatment to remove the inflammation and the evolution of the injury will determine if the player will be available for the super cup game.

Madrid sports paper Marca meanwhile claims that it's almost certain that Messi will not play on Sunday. Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola doesn't want to take risks and will therefore not let the Argentinian play. The player's father and agent Jorge Messi would have confirmed to the paper that he will not play.

Read more:
Medical: Further tests for Messi tomorrow
Medical: Iniesta to join group training in next days
Medical: Henry Doubtful for Spanish Super Cup

Messi rejects blank cheque of Manchester City

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Manchester City has offered Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22) a blank cheque.

Knowing that Messi will negotiate a new contract with Barcelona this summer, the English Premier League club would have contacted the entourage of the player asking them to name a price.

A few months ago, during the January transfer window, Manchester City would already have tried to sign Messi by offering him 12 million euro net a year plus a bonus for his family. City was willing to pay the player's buyout clause of 150 million euro.

Messi rejected the offer back then and would have done the same now. The player is happy at Barcelona, where he can compete for all the trophies. In the coming days, Barcelona and Messi's representatives will start negotiations on the player's contract renewal, with Barcelona reportedly be willing to offer Messi a year salary of 10 million euro net.

Read more:
Manchester City wants first option on Messi
Messi shadowed by recovery coach
Lionel Messi - "Five years of golazos"

Mata will use Barcelona offer to get pay rise

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Valencia left wing attacker and Spanish international Juan Mata (21) will use the personal offer he received from Barcelona to try to get a pay rise.

The father and agent of Mata will meet next week with Valencia officials to discuss a renewal of the player's contract, that was signed when he arrived as youth player two years ago and which makes him earn a salary of 500 000 euro a year.

Despite the promise of Valencia to upgrade the contract and several meetings over the last month, the player and the club haven't been able to find a deal and Valencia would even want to postpone the talks until next summer. The club has reportedly asked the agent to show them the offers other clubs would have made so they can make a better assessment of the situation. It is now believed that the personal offer made by Barcelona will be put on the table during a new meeting next week.

Read more:
Barcelona preparing new move for Mata
Mata lays future in the hands of Valencia
Agent Mata confirms Barcelona interest

No Ibrahimovic meeting scheduled so far

Asked about the reports linking Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Mino Raiola has repeated in an interview with Italian television channel Sky Sport Italia that he didn't yet talk with Barcelona:

"At this moment, there's no agreement between Barcelona and Ibrahimovic. We'll see how things will go and when we can start negotiating.

There's no meeting with Barcelona planned at this moment. That's not needed now. Inter and Barcelona are trying to turn an interesting hypothesis into reality. As long as the clubs don't have a final agreement, it's useless for me to start negotiating. I'm in regular contact with Ibrahimovic, who's on tour in the US with Inter now. He's not nervous, he's calm and he knows we're working.

I'm tired of getting asked about his salary of 12 millions. That's my problem and that of the player. When we sign a contract, that obviously means that we are happy. When a player puts his signature under a contract, with Barcelona or any other team, that means he's happy. I've never talked about the details of the contracts of the players I represent and I won't start doing that now."

Raiola is meanwhile quoted by Spanish sports tabloid Marca as also saying that the clubs now first have to finalize their agreement: "It's not a done deal yet. Before the clubs start negotiating with the players, they should turn their principal agreement into a final agreement. For this transfer to go through, things should be done in a calm way. I anyhow think that the player would fit perfectly in the team of Barcelona. He's better than Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema together, because he has an excellent technique."

Read more:
Negotiations with Ibrahimovic didn't yet start
Ibrahimovic denies Twitter statements

Poor Villa!

by Pablo López
for Marca



When an employee thinks that his time at a firm has ended, that he has higher objectives and that he cannot fulfil them in his current environment, when he loses his trust in his bosses, when, in short, he's not comfortable at his working place, the firm needs to make it possible for him to leave.

I'm referring, my friends, to David Villa and Valencia, but this reasoning could be used for every football player when some conditions are met:

a) that he has given his best for the team, that he has been an irreproachable professional,
b) that he will leave a considerable amount of money in the coffers of his clubs,
c) that, in effect, it's a valued player and that there are big offers for him,
d) and that, like I said, he wants to take on a new professional challenge.

It's obvious that David Villa meets all of them. But there's even more. If we put ourselves in his place, we would end up having the irrefutable feeling that, while being one of the best strikers in the world whom almost every club would want to have in their team, he could again spend one more season at a team that doesn't seem to have a clear course.

This will hurt the valencianistas but their team is adrift. And I'm not only talking about the giant debts but also about the strong feeling of improvisation, lack of leadership, deceit, lies, of "no problem, we'll solve that tomorrow". Honestly, it's no surprise that David Villa is like crazy about wanting to leave.

It's true that he signed last year a contract renewal including the corresponding economic upgrade, but that doesn't mean a lot when you're on the brink of ruin. It doesn't matter if he goes to Madrid or Barça or Milan or United, but Spain's number 7 will do the impossible to go to another place.

Taking into account that he has said several times that he doesn't want to leave Spain and that Madrid has already signed Benzema instead of him, the only real option that Villa has on the table is Barça. By god, I hope it's a tempting one.

Villa cannot offer more to Valencia. He has already given them prestige and goals. Now it's the club's turn to give him the opportuity to leave. 40 millions is a reasonable price for someone who wants to leave. Valencia has the chance to show they're a gentlemen's club. Villa deserves it...

Mata lays future in the hands of Valencia

Asked about the rumours linking him with several European top clubs among which Barcelona (read more here), Valencia left wing attacker and Spanish international Juan Mata (21) has said in an interview with the readers of Madrid sports tabloid Marca that his future will depend on the decision of his club:

"I'm a Valencia player and I'm feeling comfortable here. A transfer to another club will only depend on what Valencia wants.

If the club thinks that the best thing is to look for another club, I'm willing to leave but I repeat that I'm feeling very good at the club at this moment. For now, I sure don't want to change to another league and I prefer to stay in the Liga."

Read more:
Joint offer for Villa and Mata upcoming
Agent Mata confirms Barcelona interest

Jorquera wants to stay next season

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (30) wants to stay at the club next season.

The player's agent Arturo Canales had a meeting at the Camp Nou offices earlier today and would have informed the club that Jorquera doesn't want to leave and wants to compete to be the back-up of Valdés.

Canaletes would have said that Jorquera wants to start the pre-season at Barcelona, despite the fact that several clubs have shown interest in the Catalan goalkeeper. The agent nevertheless wouldn't have excluded that he's willing to look, together with the club, at any interesting offer he receives.

Madrid sports tabloid Marca repeated last weekend that newly promoted first division club Tenerife is interested in the goalkeeper (read more here) and that Jorquera, whose contract expires in the summer of 2010, could decide to leave after having lost the position of second goalkeeper to José Manuel Pinto.

Read more:
Jorquera very close to Tenerife
Barça B goalkeeper Mino will be promoted
Malaga and Betis interested in Jorquera

Final meeting on Keirrison on Tuesday

Catalan radio station RAC 1 claims that Barcelona will hold next Tuesday a final meeting on the transfer of Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is then expected to meet with the Brazilian's agents and with the persons who own the transfer rights of Keirrison, who would join Barcelona in a 14 million euro° deal.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that there's a total deal with the player and with the sports marketing agency that controls the majority of his transfer rights. The deal would nevertheless only be officially announced once there's an agreement on the transfer of Valencia forward Villa (read more here).

The paper claims that Keirrison wil sign a four-year deal and that the transfer fee that has been agreed would be 10 million euro°. Madrid sports tabloid Marca meanwhile claims that Keirrison has already accepted to join Valencia on loan next season if that's what Barcelona would want.

Read more:
Keirrison to give press conference next week
Deal on transfer of Keirrison
Medical tests and signature Keirrison next week


Watch this video of Keirrison:

Expensive Mascherano is not a priority

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Liverpool has asked Barcelona a transfer fee of 50 million euro° for Liverpool defensive midfielder and Argentine international Javier Mascherano (25).

Although Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have reached a pre-agreement after having met with the player's agent a few days ago, Barcelona wouldn't be willing to pay that fee, certainly because the player isn't a priority for the club.

Mascherano would in fact be the last name on the wish list of Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, who supposedly first wants to sign a centre forward, a left winger, a central defender and a full-back.


Read more:
Meeting on Mascherano in Barcelona
The report of Txiki (2) : Mascherano priority
Barcelona preparing bid for Mascherano

Barcelona makes new bid for Villa

Several Spanish media report that the interest of Barcelona in Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (28) is back on and that the player wants to join Barcelona next season.

Spanish radio station Onda Cero claims that Barcelona has made a bid of 35-40 mlillion euro°. Barcelona president Joan Laporta, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would also all three have contacted Villa to say that they were counting on him and asking him to be patient.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona will offer 42 million euro° plus 3 million euro° in incentives. There would have been intense contact with the player's agent José Luis Tamargo over the last days and there is reportedly a deal on the basic elements of a contract.

Catalan spotrs paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona will start with an offer of 40 million euro° but would be prepared to raise that to 45 million euro°, while Valenica is at this moment asking 50 million euro. Valencia regional newspaper Las Provincias claims that Barcelona has made an offer of 42 million euro°.

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona has made a bid of 43 million euro°. Barcelona president Joan Laporta would have offered the fee last Friday. Villa and Barcelona would already have a principal agreement since December last year when Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristian and Barcelona director of football Raúl Sanllehí met with the agent of the player.

Read more:
Villa is not for sale
The report of Txiki (3) : 60 million for Eto'o
Guardiola wants Villa

Valdes will renew until 2014 or 2015

All media yesterday claimed that Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27) will renew his contract, that expires in the summer of 2010.

Barcelona would have raised their last offer and a deal would have been found on a year salary of around 7 million euro gross. Spanish news agency EFE claims that this is more than the double of his current wage.

The duration of the new contract is not yet clear. This morning, most media claimed that the new contract was until 2014. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo and Spanish news site El Confidencial claimed that it was until 2015. Catalan sport paper Sport first claimed that Barcelona had offered the goalkeeper to sign until 2016 but that the goalkeeper in the end decided to sgn until 2014. Later today, they changed that to 2015.

Sport claimed that the negotiations were picked up yesterday morning with a meeting between Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of foorball Raúl Sanllehí and the player's father José Manuel Valdés. Later, the player's agent Ginés Carvajal joined in and a final agreement would have been reached late last night.

El Mundo Deportivo on the other hand claims that the deal was agreed on during telephone talks between Txiki and Carvajal. The paper claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta could have talked with Valdés and that this would have made a new opening in the talks. Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Carvajal informed Begiristain with a short phone call that they dropped their previous demands.

Sport claimed that the deal would be made public this morning, Madrid sports tabloid Marca that it would happen today, but so far no official announcement has been published. Barcelona president Joan Laporta nevertheless told journalists today that things look good: "I can only say that I have been assured by the people who are dealing with this that we're on the good way. So I think we'll find a solution that is satisfactory for all."

Read more:
Valdes renewal negotiations broken off
Barcelona starts negotiations with Asenjo
Agent Frey dismisses Barcelona interest

Getafe wants Bojan on loan

Madrid sports tabloid Marca unconfirmedly claims that Getafe is interested in Barcelona forward and Spanish youth internacional Bojan Krkic (18).

Getafe manager Michel reportedly asked his club to move for the Catalan striker and try to sign him on loan.

Read more:
Bojan will not leave on loan

Barcelona in pole for Mallorca goalkeeper Moya

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona is at this moment leading the race for the transfer of Mallorca goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moyá (25) (read more here).

Mallorca, who cannot transfer any players due to a financial dispute with Athletic Bilbao, would like to sign Barcelona wing attacker Pedro (21) on loan and is expected to try to include him in the deal on Moyá if Barcelona makes a formal bid.

Valencia, Atlético Madrid and Villarreal would also be interested in the Spanish goalkeeper.



Read more:
Mallorca goalkeeper Moya confirms interest
Barcelona not willing to accept Valdes demands
Osasuna wants Pedro on loan

Negotiations with Valencia on Villa ongoing

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona has made a bid of 50 million euro for Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27).

More concrete, the bid of Barcelona would consist of 40 million euro cash plus incentives plus the loan of Barcelona players Martín Cáceres (21) and Bojan Krkic (18).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona made a bid of 35 million euro while Valencia is asking 45 million euro. Barcelona and Valencia officials reportedly negotiated the whole weekend by phone after the talks between Valencia and Real Madrid were cancelled (read more here).

Read more:
Barcelona joins race for Villa
Van Persie, Malouda and Mata next on the list
1 Ibrahimovic - 2 Forlan - 3 Villa - 4 Benzema

Referee mistakes postponed league win

Madrid sports tabloid Marca has drawn up an alternative Liga table, taking into count the mistakes made by the referees this season.

The tabloid claims that without the referee mistakes, the table would have looked like this (and that not Betis but Getafe would have been relegated and that Villarreal and not Sevilla would have qualified for the Champions league) :



1. Barcelona 87 (=)
2. Real Madrid 74 (-4)
3. Atlético Madrid 69 (+2)
4. Villarreal 66 (+1)
5. Valencia 64 (+2)
6. Sevilla 63 (-7)
7. Deportivo 59 (+1)
8. Málaga 55 (=)
9. Osasuna 54 (+11)
10. Mallorca 50 (-1)
11. Almería 50 (+4)
12. Espanyol 49 (+2)
13. Athletic Bilbao 49 (+5)
14. Sporting Gijón 40 (-3)
15. Valladolid 40 (-3)
16. Racing Santander 39 (-7)
17. Betis 39 (-3)
18. Recreativo 38 (+5)
19. Getafe 35 (-7)
20. Numancia 35 (=)


watch the alternative ranking mid-way the season here

Will Henrique return from loan?

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that a decision on the future of Bayer Leverkusen central defender and Barcelona loan out Henrique (22) will be made tomorrow.

Henrique's agents, the brothers Naor and Marcos Malaquias, will travel on Wednesday from Brazil to Barcelona, where they will meet with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain.

It is thought that Barcelona could propose the agents that Henrique would leave on loan for another season. During the meeting, a possible transfer of Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) might also be discussed (read more here).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo nevertheless claims that Barcelona's technical staff is close to deciding that Henrique will join the squad in the summer. Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola watched several games of the Brazilian and received positive scouting reports. He would be on the verge of giving the green light.

Catalan newspaper Avui claims that Henrique will certainly return and that this could mean that Barcelona player Cáceres will leave on loan in the summer. Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Henrique could be the central defender Barcelona wants to add to the team this summer, while Madrid sports tabloid Marca says that it's likely the Brazilian will return.

Read more:
Henrique will return from Bayer Leverkusen
Barcelona plans few changes in the summer
Henrique will start next pre-season in Barcelona

Eto'o close to joining Manchester City

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28) is close to joining Manchester City this summer.

Eto'o could already heve reached a personal agreement with the English Premier League club in January but the deal wasn't made public not to influence Barcelona's season. Manchester City would be ready to make an offer of 34 million euro° for Eto'o.

Barcelona would want to replace Eto'o by signing Atlético Madrid forward and Uruguay international Diego Forlán (29).

Because Atlético Madrid doesn't want to let the player go, Barcelona would have to pay the buyout clause of 36 million euro (read more here). With the value added tax included, the transfer fee for the Uruguayan would in the end be close to 40 million euro°.

Asked about the rumours linking Forlán with a move to Barcelona, Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo told Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that his club is not planning to let him leave: "Laporta perfectly knows our stand: we won't sell. We're not worried at all. We won't let Forlán go for anyone or anything. We're not selling and we're not thinking about it. Clear as that."

Read more:
Eto'o wants to continue at Barcelona
Barcelona plans few changes in the summer
Forlan first option to replace Eto'o